4 Downs: Iowa high school football prose from The Gazette’s pros

The Gazette’s Iowa high school football staff poses and answers questions about the current season. See how much Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford can gain in 4 Downs:

1st & 10: Which team, or teams, seem poised to peaking for the postseason?

Jeff Linder: I’m going to focus on the teams that kick it off this week (2A on down). After a 3-6 season in 2023, North Fayette Valley is rolling. The TigerHawks have won seven in a row, and haven’t been tested in district play. Dyersville Beckman had that eye-opening win over Iowa City Regina in Week 7 and will be a headache for anybody it runs into during the 1A postseason. Lisbon has been proficient on both sides on the ball and is Dome-capable in Class A. Belle Plaine has proven it can play 8-Player defense, holding Montezuma to 28 points in a close loss and Iowa Valley to 24 in a victory.

Jeff Johnson: I like the way Clear Creek Amana is playing right now. Big win last week over Cedar Rapids Xavier. Williamsburg and Mount Vernon also catch my eye. So does Maquoketa Valley.

K.J. Pilcher: North Fayette Valley comes to mind. After a season-opening loss to Independence, the TigerHawks have run the table. They allowed 9.8 points per game over the last six weeks. NFV has scored 31 points or more each game since Week 1. Maquoketa Valley has had a similar experience. The Wildcats have a strong defense and a powerful 1-2 offensive punch in running back Rogan Heidt (140 carries for 1,295 yards, 19 TDs) and quarterback Brady Wall (1,658 total yards, 20 TDs). Watch the result of the Benton Community-Williamsburg game Friday. Winner will have a district title and postseason momentum.

Nathan Ford: North Fayette Valley has won seven straight since its opening loss to 3A top-10 Independence and those wins have been convincing. Crestwood was competitive with some really good teams but NFV handled the Cadets, 34-7, last week. Plus, the TigerHawks got a little extra rest with Oelwein’s Week 7 forfeit.

2nd & Long: The postseason begins for the four smallest classes. Which fourth-place district finisher is capable of knocking off a district champion in the round of 32?

Jeff Linder: There really aren’t too many options in which the 1-seed isn’t a heavy favorite. With apologies to our old friend and mentor Dale Jones, the one that sticks out to me is perhaps Hudson over Manson-Northwest Webster in Class 1A.

Jeff Johnson: Honestly, I don’t think we will see any 4-seeds beat a 1. But I spy a couple of possibilities: Hudson at Manson-Northwest Webster in Class 1A, Cherokee at Spirit Lake in 2A and perhaps Starmont at Lisbon in Class A.

K.J. Pilcher: We have had districts so strong that the No. 4 qualifier has knocked off another district’s champion. As for area teams, North Tama’s Kolt Knack is a versatile weapon. If he has a big game and the defense can be competitive, maybe the Redhawks could pull the upset. The No. 4 that I think has the best chance is Lake Mills (4-4) against Wapsie Valley (6-2).

Nathan Ford: Hudson traveling to Manson-Northwest Webster jumps out. Predicting an upset after what Anamosa did to Northeast last week might be too bold, but Chad Beermann’s Waukon program has plenty of past examples of thriving in the postseason.

3rd & Short: What player is the most capable of taking over the game, especially in a winner-take-all playoff situation?

Jeff Linder: Is there a hotter quarterback right now that Iowa City West’s Jack Wallace? He leads Class 5A in most passing categories, thanks in part to explosive receivers Julian Manson and Mason Woods. He’s a veteran who has played in high-pressure situations since he was a freshman.

Jeff Johnson: Gimme a good quarterback any day. Lot of them out there. Another opinion is that it’s easier to take over a game in 8-Player.

K.J. Pilcher: Watching Iowa City West’s Jack Wallace against Pleasant Valley, he will cause fits for any opponent and could take over a game. He passed for 374 yards and rushed for 66, having a hand in all seven TDs against the then-No. 4 Spartans. Williamsburg’s Rayce Heitman, who received a preferred walk-on offer from University of Iowa, has already proven he can take over a game with his ability to score offensively, defensively and via special teams. If needed, he can put the Raiders on his shoulders in the postseason. Iowa Valley’s Nolan Kriegel is a terror for 8-Player defenses. The Tigers will go as far as he takes them and he can simply dominate games. Just look at his 10 TDs vs. BGM to start the season.

Nathan Ford: Pryce Rochford ranks first in the state in rushing touchdowns (33) and defensive touchdowns (four) while quarterbacking unbeaten Edgewood-Colesburg.

4th & Goal: What team has the coolest uniforms?

Jeff Linder: Any team that has numerals that can be easily deciphered from the press box are just fine with me. Seriously, it’s hard to beat Cedar Rapids Xavier’s uniforms, which are unchanged since the school opened in the late 1990s. Sharp silver helmets with navy (or white) jerseys and silver pants. Clean, classy, conventional.

Jeff Johnson: You know, I sat way up high at Linn-Mar Stadium this past Friday night, saw Linn-Mar’s red helmets, black uniform tops and white pants and thought “Old school Atlanta Falcons, baby!” So, give me those!

K.J. Pilcher: Iowa City Liberty’s uniforms are my favorite. Seeing the combos in our photo archive, I like the black jersey and pants worn against West. I dig the purple jerseys worn against Cedar Falls. The all-white uniform with purple numbers donned against Iowa City High are solid as well. Plus, the white helmets with the purple lightning bolts are sharp.

Nathan Ford: Lots of flashy combos out there, but West Hancock rocking plain red and white uniforms that look like they’re used for practice while pounding teams on the ground seemingly every year in the Class A state tournament never gets old.